Mental Health Support Specialist (MHSS)

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. is seeking a Mental Health Support Specialist (MHSS) to guide individuals in independent living skills, including tenancy basics, medication management, and personal care, to help them reach goals and improve mental wellness.

The MHSS supports the Program Supervisor in implementing agency policies, develops individualized support plans, and coordinates with health and treatment teams to ensure comprehensive services.

Qualifications

• Requires a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Proficient writing and grammar skills.
• Ability to work in a team and adapt to changing needs.
• Effective communication with individuals, families, and treatment teams.

Responsibilities

• Assist individuals in identifying and pursuing personal life goals.
• Promote safety and teach fire safety and emergency contacts.
• Provide tenancy and independent living skills training (housing, budgeting, daily living).
• Develop and monitor Individualized Support Plans with treatment teams.
• Coordinate with Health Home for integrated services.
• Document services, visits, and supports accurately and timely.

Skills

Computer skills

Writing skills

Teamwork

Communication

Organization

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Mental Health Support Specialist (MHSS) provides training in independent living skills, including how to be responsible tenants, medication management, and personal care, to assist people in achieving their goals and improving their overall health and mental wellness. The MHSS assists the Program Supervisor in implementing agency policies and procedures.

DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Works with the people we support to help them identify and realize their personal life goals.
• Ensures fire safety equipment is in working condition and teaches individuals to utilize this equipment.
• Teaches individuals who to contact for emergencies including, but not limited to, medical, psychiatric, fire, lack of food, etc.
• Assists individuals in utilizing community/neighborhood services.
• Acts as a liaison between individuals, landlords, and various treatment team members.
• Teaches independent living skills necessary to sustain individuals in the community and prevent homelessness such as: apartment maintenance, socialization skills, budgeting, self-medication, personal care, travel training, shopping, cooking, and returning to school/workforce.
• Develops Individualized Support Plans in conjunction with individuals and treatment teams; encourages follow through on all goals in areas including but not limited to: housing stability, medication management, employment and vocational training, mental health treatment services, drug and alcohol assessment and referral, and referrals for community-based services.
• Encourages and supports individuals to maintain psychiatric stability through counseling, crisis intervention, attending a daytime activity, participating in treatment, and utilizing other available resources.
• Works with Health Home to ensure coordination of all services (Psychiatric & Physical).
• Assists individuals in complying with mandated treatment, such as AOT order specifications, and legal mandates, such as conditions of parole or probation.
• In OMH Supportive Housing Programs, MHSS will be responsible for providing Tenancy Supports to individuals enrolled in the program:
  • Community integration skill-building services: direct training and supports to assist individuals with community integration, including community resource coordination, treatment planning, and rehabilitative independent living skills training to help individuals transitioning into housing
  • Stabilization services: direct services and supports to assist individuals living in a community setting, including tenancy support planning, rehabilitative independent living skills training, community resources coordination, and crisis planning and intervention to help individuals remain in housing
• In OMH MRST Programs, visits will be conducted on an as needed basis
• Contemporaneously documents and records all services, visits, supports, and other relevant information using agency provided phone and/or laptop.
• Ensures that all required documentation (paper and electronic) is completed /processed appropriately, in a timely manner, and meets quality and compliance thresholds
• Performs other duties as assigned.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL FREE EMPLOYEES

• Always communicates in a respectful manner with all people including the people we support, supervisors, other valued team members, and members of the community.
• Complies fully with FREE's confidentiality policies by holding in strictest confidence all information pertaining to members, residents, the people we support and their families, clients, providers, contractors, and employees.
• Meets all safety training requirements; adheres to all safety policies and reports any and all unsafe conditions; takes measures to prevent accidents and/or eliminate conditions that pose a safety or health risk.
• Coordinates, supports, attends and participates in all required events/ meetings/ reviews/ committees, including ones outside of standard working hours.
• Meets all job requirements and stays in compliance.
• Adheres to FREE's standard of ethical behavior as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct as well as applicable laws and regulations.

Please note the above duties, responsibilities, and essential functions are a non-exhaustive list, and may be changed by FREE at any time, with or without notice to the employee.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education:
  • High School Diploma or equivalent required
• Experience:
  • At least 1 (one) full years of experience in Human Services or related field
  • Experience working with individuals diagnosed with mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders preferred
• Specialized Training, Licenses, Certifications:
  • Not required, training will be provided upon hire as needed
• Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities:
  • Proficient computer skills
  • Proficient writing skills with grasp of basic grammar and spelling
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment with flexibility, keeping others informed and anticipating needs is essential
  • Must be efficient, well organized, and have excellent communication skills
• Other Requirements:
  • Valid driver’s license and satisfy criteria to be a driver for FREE required
  • Based on business needs, loss of driving privileges may result in change of work location, shift, weekly hours, or termination of employment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This role is performed in-person; travel required and frequency varies by program. In HUD Supported Housing Programs, MRST, and OMH Apartment Treatment Program, MHSS team members are required to utilize their own transportation to provide services, as needed.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Employee is required to sit, walk and stand for prolonged period of time (at least 8 hours).
• Employee is required to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Employee is required to operate standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, fax and filing cabinets.
• Employee is required to reach with hands and arms.
• Employee is required to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch or stand on a stool as needed.
• Employee is required to be able to lift 25 pounds at a time.

Notwithstanding the above listed physical requirements of this position, FREE will provide reasonable accommodations to allow employees to perform the essential functions of the position, provided such reasonable accommodations do not cause undue hardship on FREE